Hamas Shocks the World: Is This the End of American Power?
Hamas Attack Signals a New World Order Unfolding
The recent attack by Hamas on Israel serves as a stark indicator of a shifting global landscape. It is but one piece of a larger puzzle that includes Russia’s engagement in the most substantial conflict in Europe since World War II, China’s increasingly assertive stance toward Taiwan, India’s embrace of virulent nationalism, and Israel forming its most extreme government to date. These developments collectively signal that the world may have plunged into a new era marked by disarray. In this age of transition, countries and political groups like Hamas are willing to take substantial risks without as much concern for the potentially dire consequences.
The underlying reason for this tumultuous state of affairs lies in the concept of a multipolar world order. The United States, once the unrivaled global superpower, no longer holds the same dominant position it once did, and no clear successor has emerged. Consequently, political leaders across the globe now feel emboldened to assert their own interests, believing that the potential gains of aggressive actions may outweigh the associated costs. These leaders have come to see themselves as having more influence over their respective regions than the United States.
As Noah Smith aptly noted in his Substack newsletter, “A fully multipolar world has emerged, and people are belatedly realizing that multipolarity involves quite a bit of chaos.” This sentiment is echoed by Chinese political scientist Zheng Yongnian, who has ties to China’s leadership and has described the old world order as disintegrating. In Zheng’s words, “Countries are brimming with ambition, like tigers eyeing their prey, keen to find every opportunity among the ruins of the old order.”
However, it is crucial to understand that the receding of American power is not solely a result of inevitable historical shifts. While dominant nations eventually lose their supremacy, the United States has also made strategic missteps that have accelerated the arrival of this multipolar world.
Among these mistakes, one stands out: the naive belief by presidents of both major parties that a wealthier China would naturally become a friendlier partner. This failure to recognize that lenient trade policies were inadvertently nurturing a rival has been well-argued by political scientist John Mearsheimer. Additionally, costly military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq during the early 21st century have taken their toll. The unprovoked Iraq war initiated by President George W. Bush was particularly detrimental, as was the recent, humiliating U.S. retreat from Afghanistan under President Biden’s oversight, which further diminished America’s standing.
Perhaps the most significant blow to American prestige came during Donald Trump’s tenure. Trump rejected the idea that the U.S. should lead the world, withdrawing from international agreements and showing disdain for successful alliances like NATO. His signaling that he might abandon Ukraine if reelected in 2025 has only added to the global uncertainty.
In the case of Israel, Trump encouraged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prioritize Israeli interests over Palestinian concerns and seek maximalist victories. While Netanyahu didn’t initiate this recent conflict—Hamas did, possibly with support from its long-time backer, Iran—Netanyahu’s extremism contributed to the tensions between Israel and Palestinian groups like Hamas. An editorial in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz argued that Netanyahu’s foreign policy “openly ignored the existence and rights of Palestinians.”
Nonetheless, despite these challenges, the United States remains the world’s most powerful nation, with a unique ability to forge alliances and promote peace. For instance, the Trump administration brokered the historic Abraham Accords between Israel and four Arab countries—the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. The Biden administration has made strides toward an even more ambitious deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Hamas’s attack on Israel can be viewed as an attempt to thwart the reassertion of American power and instead push the world further into multipolarity. Many experts believe that the attack aimed to undermine an Israeli-Saudi deal that could isolate Iran, Hamas’s patron, and potentially provide much-needed financial support to the more moderate Palestinian Authority. However, if Israel’s response to the recent Hamas attacks leads to extensive destruction in the Gaza Strip, Saudi Arabia may hesitate to endorse any treaty, potentially stalling the Saudi Abraham Accords deal.
In essence, Hamas’s actions can be seen as an effort to prevent the resurgence of American influence and to steer the world towards a multipolar future.
While it’s undeniable that the era of American dominance had its share of injustices, it also ushered in the most peaceful period in recorded history, marked by a sharp decline in violence-related deaths, as Steven Pinker highlighted in his 2011 book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature.” Additionally, this era saw a significant increase in the number of people living in democracies, despite historical, socio-cultural, and religious differences.
In these uncertain times, it is essential to carefully consider the implications of the shifting global order and work toward solutions that promote stability, cooperation, and a more peaceful world for all.
By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Buzz Feed
